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Mother Bunny and Her Flowers 





Copsnight 1922 
C. H. Van Vliet Co. 

Chicago 

Printed in United States of America 




Cl A68G897 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER 
FLOWERS 


CHAPTER I 

PLANTING THE GARDEN 

Hark to the Tale of Mother Bun; 

If you read on ’till the story is done, 
You will have many happy hours 
With Mother Bunny and her Flowers. 

One bright spring morning Old 
Mother Bun was talking to herself. 

Said Old Mother Bun, just for fun, 

“It is time the garden was begun.” 

Old Father Bun cried, 

“Time for the rake, and time for the 
hoe; 

“We’ll plant a garden in spring you 
know.” 


3 


4 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

Healthy Bunny and Pretty Bunny 
said, 

“Garden days have come, we know; 
May we help the seeds to grow?” 

Old Mother Bun answered, 

“To the garden all may go. 

With the rake, and with the hoe.” 

So those cute little Bunnies ran out with 
rake, and hoe, and wheelbarrow, and 
they all worked in Mother Bun’s garden, 
helping her prepare the soil for her gar- 
den. She was very happy and shook the 
packages of seeds in her gingham apron, 
saying, 

“Vegetables and flowers too, 

I will try to raise for you.” 

“Not for me, not for me,” called a voice, 
and a very wild looking Bunny peeped 
over the fence. 

He said, “At times I’m very plucky. 

My name is really ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 5 



He offered to help, for every one loved 
Old Mother Bun, but he was such a care- 
less fellow, he did not dig the rows 
straight, and Old Father Bun soon made 
him stop, so he sat on a fence. 

When the ground was ready. Old 
Father Bun drove in stakes at the end of 
the rows, and he tied a cord from one 
stake to another so they could plant in 
even rows. 

Old Mother Bun used the hoe and the 
little Bunnies ran after her and dropped 
in seeds. 


6 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

“Oh, I forgot, and so, please stop, 
Before another seed you drop.” 

“What did you forget. Mother Bunny?” 
asked Healthy Bunny. 

“Can we help you to remember?” added 
Pretty Bunny. 

“We are waiting,” said Old Father Bun- 
ny. 

Mother Bunny said, “Before we start. 
Find out, in planting, how far apart.” 

She read the directions on each en- 
velope to find out how far apart the seeds 
were to be planted, and how deep they 
were to be placed. This was important, 
for some seeds grow better planted deep, 
and some grow better planted near the 
surface with a very little dirt scattered 
over them. 

That day she planted lettuce and 
radishes and Old Father Bun said. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 7 


“Such a very little our seeds have cost, 
We will not worry about Jack Frost.” 

Old Mother Bun said that early veg- 
etables could stand a little frost and if 
we plant North-Grown seeds, the vegeta- 
bles can even stand a little snow. 

She continued, “If you please, 

I will plant vegetable peas.” 

It was late in March and the air was 
cool, though the sun shone warm and 
bright. 

She said, 

“Fve planned my garden with much care. 
But forgot to make paths, I declare.” 

Old Father Bun said they would help 
her plan out the paths, and that Healthy 
Bunny and Pretty Bunny might use the 
wheelbarrow and bring over some bricks 
to lay in the paths. 

Soon the garden began to look very 
well indeed. 


8 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


Said Father Bun, “Let’s have a talk, 

How to plan out garden walks.” 

Old Mother Bun grew thoughtful and 
said, 

“Let us make the walks so wide. 

We can travel side by side.” 

They had plenty of room, so they made 
their brick walks, or paths as they 
called them, four feet wide. 

Old Father Bun said, 

“Now they look very well indeed. 

But what will we do with grass and 
weeds?” 

All the Bunnies sat down and put on 
their Thinking -Caps, for they had an old 
brick walk in the back yard, and grass 
and weeds crept up between the bricks 
every year. 

The Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny said at 
last, 

“I learned this from the Peddler’s 
daughter. 

Sow salt, and cover it with water.” 



The Cute Little Bunnies Ran Out with Rake 
and Hoe and Wheelbarrow 



M0THE31 BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 9 


Old Father Bun remembered this was 
a good idea, but he said no salt must 
get into the garden soil. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“I have plans now in my head 
To make a pretty Flower Bed.” 

They divided off the part of the 
garden that was left, and planned out 
many pretty Flower Beds. 

Old Mother Bun worked hours and hours. 
Making a circular bed for flowers. 

She was happy. I’ve heard said. 

When she looked at her star-shaped bed. 

She said, “Oh, see the star-shaped 
bed! Oh, see the garden we planted 
last year!” All of them bent down, and 
it was Old Mother Bun who discovered 
the first Crocus. 

Sure enough, there was a purple 
Crocus in bloom. She said, 

“I am so happy I’ll sing and sing; 

Here is a flower to greet the spring.” 

Old Father Bun did a lot of thinking 
and said presently, 


10 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



“Ha, ha, I’ve an idea funny; 

We’ll make a garden with letters 
BUNNY.” 

He marked off the letters on the 
ground and said they would plant there 
next day. 

Old Mother Bun picked the Crocus 
and took it in-doors and set it in a 
vase. When they had washed their 
paws they sat around and admired it. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 11 


Old Mother Bun began to knit for 
she was never idle. 

Said Mother Bunny, “Do you know 
How to plant flowers and make them 
grow?” 

She looked hard at Happy-Go- 
Lucky, who did not answer her. 

Said Pretty Bunny, “As like as not, 
ril have to buy a flower-pot.” 

Pretty Bunny liked to have a bloom- 
ing plant in the window. 

Old Father Bun said, 

“Flowers breathe air, I do declare. 

With honest toil, they eat from the soil; 
Though they stand still and cannot 
walk. 

In Fairyland I heard them talk.” 

The little Crocus in the vase began 
to nod, and nod, and open its petals, 
and, to the surprise of all, began to talk. 




MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 18 


The Crocus said, “Please do not doubt 
me; 

There are many legends told about 
me.” 

Then the Crocus began to tell the 
story or legend she liked the best. She 
said, “I am the little child, Krokus, who 
was killed by an accident when Mercury 
threw a quoit one day, and I was changed 
at once into a flower.” (Crocus con- 
tinued) 

“Here is a story to make you laugh; 

I was hidden once in a hollow staff. 

A Pilgrim stole a bulb, you see. 

And took it to a far country; 

So many flowers from it came. 

Saffron Waldon is the town’s real 
name.” 

“Saffron, Saffron, what do I know 
about Saffron?” asked Old Father Bun. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“As sure as I am wide awake, 

I use Saffron in cookies and cake.” 

The Crocus said, “Saffron is made 
from my stamens; several thousand of 


14 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

them are needed for one ounce of 
Salfron.” 

“Some Crocuses are not like me at all; 
Some Crocuses also bloom in the fall. 
In Persia — a far-off country you know, 
The Saffron Crocus delights to grow. 
I’ll close up my petals in an hour, 

But a hair-dye was once made from my 
flower.” 

So saying, the Crocus closed her petals 
and fell asleep. 

Pretty Bunny said, “I wonder if every 
flower has a story to tell.” 

Healthy Bunny said, “Old Mother 
Bun, what kind of flowers will you have 
in your garden this year?” 

Said Old Mother Bun, “How foolish you 
talk; 

There’ll be Hollyhocks by the garden 
walk. 

The Perennials, you know, my dear. 
Always live on year after year.” 

She reminded her children that An- 
nuals, as they are called, grow from 
seeds and bloom only one season, while 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 15 

Biennials live over winter and bloom 
the next year, and then die. 



SAID OLD MOTHER BUN. “HOW FOOLISH YOU TALK” 


16 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


Old Father Bun said, 

“Let us learn one thing at a time; 

Let us all make a simple rhyme.” 

He thought a while and then con- 
tinued, 

“An Annual is so named for the reason 
It blooms and dies all in one season.” 

Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny said, 

“I’ll name an Annual; you see 
The Morning Glory appeals to me.” 

Old Father Bun continued, 

“The Biennials are rather queer; 

They do not bloom ’till the second year.” 

Healthy Bunny said, naming some 
Biennials, “How I do like turnips, beets 
and carrots, how I do like parsnips.” 

Old Father Bun continued, 

“You’ll know the Perennials, my dear. 
For they live on year after year.” 

Pretty Bunny said, 

“The Peonies and Hollyhocks 
Are Perennials of which I’ll talk.” 


MOTHETR BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 17 



Old Mother Bun said, 

“I could teach you the parts of a flower, 
In about a quarter of an hour.” 

The Bunnies drew close while she drew 
a picture of a Morning Glory and said, 

“The parts of a flower, I do believe. 

Are the roots, stem, and leaves.” 

She drew the little flne roots of the 
Morning Glory and the long, winding 
stem and dainty leaves and flower. 

The Family Clock struck nine, and 
Old Father Bun said, 



18 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


“I interrupt you, I beg pardon; 

When may we visit your wild-flower 
garden?” 

Old Mother Bun had been planting 
a wild-flower garden for years and 
years. The Bunnies had often gone to 
the woods and dug up a single plant of 
its kind for they did not want to rob 
even the woods of beauty, and so they 
had many wild flowers growing in their 
home garden, and they had also a love- 
ly bed of ferns. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“We’ll visit the wild-flower garden and 
see. 

Who our first visitor will be.” 

Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny jumped out 
the open window and ran out in the moon- 
light. 

Pretty Bunny and Healthy Bunny 
went to bed. 

Old Mother Bun tried to remember 
the names of some of her Flowers. She 
made what she called an “Acrostic” 


MOTHEai BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 19 


which spelled the names of Flowers read 
to the right, and spelled the name of a 
Flower downward. She wrote the fol- 
lowing: 

Crocus 
Orchid 
Wood-sorrel 
Solomon’s Seal 
Lily 

Indian Tobacco 
Primrose. 

The Old Family Clock sang, 

“Tick, tick, tock, this I say 
Your visitor is on his way.” 

Old Mother Bun went to bed wonder- 
ing who her visitor would be in the 
Garden to-morrow. She made up her 
mind to rise at sunrise and see if any 
of her visitors had come. 

She said, 

“Some day, if I don’t forget. 

I’ll make a Flower Alphabet.” 

The Family Clock remarked, 

“Your ideas are very funny. 

Good night, dear Old Mother Bunny.” 


CHAPTER IL 

THE WILD FLOWER GARDEN 


How many Wild Flowers do you know? 
Can you tell the places where they 
grow? 

Do you like these little rhymes so 
funny? 

Do you like to meet Old Mother Bunny? 

Bright and early Old Mother Bun 
went out to look at her Wild Flower 
Garden. She said, 

“Trillium and Anemone, 

Your little flowers I long to see; 

Wild Ginger and Columbine, 

You are also flowers of mine; 

Lady’s Slipper and Solomon’s Seal 
Many secrets will reveal; 
Jack-In-The-Pulpit looks at me 
Just as serious as can be.” 

As Old Mother Bun tip-toed about her 
Wild Flower Garden the flowers nodded 
their welcome and began to talk to her. 


20 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 21 

The Trillium said, “If you please, 

All my parts are in three’s. 

You can see, when you have started. 
Three petals, three sepals, stigma three 
parted, 

I have many happy hours, 

Though I bear Solitary Flowers.” 

Old Mother Bun said, “I am glad you 
grow in my Garden, and I like the Soli- 
tary Flowers just as well as though they 
grew in clusters like those of Lily-of- 
the-Valley.” 

Just then Old Father Bun looked out 
the window and called, 

“Old Mother Bun, I beg your pardon; 
Who was the first visitor in the 
Garden?” 

Pretty Bunny just then called out, 

“I’m coming out just for fun. 

Old Mother Bun, Old Mother Bun.” 


Healthy Bunny cried, 


22 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



“There is something makes me want to 
sing, 

Every year, in the early spring.” 

Just as Old Mother Bun began to 
think a member of her own family would 
be her first visitor she heard a whir of 
wings, and a humming sound, and a 
Humming Bird lighted on a Tulip. 


MOTHKR BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 23 

The Humming’ Bird sang to her, 

‘T am happy as can be 
Honeysuckle soon I’ll see.” 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“Many years that whir I’ve heard. 
Welcome, little Humming Bird.” 

The Humming Bird went from flower 
to flower, flnding honey and nectar in 
them. He said he came to visit the 
garden unusually early, as he was really 
a summer visitor. 

The Anemones were the next flowers 
that wanted to speak. They said, 

“We like to grow here in your bower. 
Anemone, also called Windflower.” 

Old Mother Bun had to search for the 
flower on the Wild Ginger plant. There 
was a single flower well hidden beneath 
the velvety leaves. She gave a cry of 
pleasure, for looking up she saw a 
Yellow Lady’s Slipper in bloom. The 
Lady’s Slipper nodded in a friendly way 
and said, 


24 MOTHETR BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

“Our flowers are really a delight; 

We are pink, showy, or small white.” 

She said there were three species of 
Lady’s Slippers. She sang sweetly, 

“In colonies we like to grow. 

When the merry spring winds blow; 

In the woods search for me hours and 
hours; 

I carry from one to three pretty 
flowers.” 

Healthy Bunny and Pretty Bunny and 
Old Father Bun came out and leaned 
down low to catch the faintest whisper 
from the flowers. The Solomon’s Seal 
whispered, 

“Many secrets I could reveal. 

But my name is Solomon’s Seal. 

Please observe my bell-shaped flower. 
Patiently growing hour by hour; 

I am a Perennial, my dear. 

But throw us a fresh stalk every year; 
As my flowers with a scar they make; 
You can tell my age by them without 
mistake. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 25 


In the woods we grow so tall, ’tis said 
We tower sometimes above man’s head. 
Now, the False Solomon’s Seal, ’tis true. 
May appear more beautiful to you.” 

Just then Jack-In-The-Pulpit fairly 
shouted, 

“I am Jack-In-The-Pulpit come to town; 
I am dressed much like a Circus Clown. 
Hidden beneath my six leaves green; 
My suit is striped, as you have seen, 
I am very glad to meet you all. 

And I’ll leave red berries in the fall.” 

A voice called merrily, 

“To squeeze my stem you’d better re- 
frain. 

For everything I touch, I stain; 

I make no exception for any one. 

My leaf grows long after my flower is 
gone; 

I am white with gold centre; does it pay 
To bloom, as I do, for a single day?” 

All the Bunnies examined the Blood 
root with the leaf circling round the 
stem, and the delicate flowers. 


26 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


Old Father Bun remarked, 

“Right down here, in this Fairy Bower, 
Let us learn the parts of a flower.” 

Just then a beautiful Butterfly sailed 
by, and attracted by the color in the Tulip 
Bed, sailed down, so, as a Butterfly and 
Humming Bird came to the garden that 
day. Old Mother Bun said, “What fine 
visitors.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“I will try to teach you, if in my power, 
To know and name the parts of a flower; 
Calyx, corolla, pistils, and stamens, 
Over and over let us name them.” 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“The Calyx is really the flower-cup; 
See the gay Tulips springing up.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“To describe is really beyond my power. 
The Corolla is the prettiest part of the 
flower.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 27 


Father Bun continued, 

“The Stamens inside the Corolla grow, 
And the pistils hold the seeds, you know.” 

Just then a shout arose and a voice 
called, 

“I turn up at odd times, it is funny, 
l am Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny.” 

They were all glad to see him, of 
course, and began to play a Flower Game. 
He stood in the centre of a circle they 
formed and said, 

“Ha, ha, Tm very glad I came, 

Fm thinking of a Wild Flower’s name: 
Clap him out, clap him in. 

With letter ‘V’ the name begins.” 

He pointed to Healthy Bunny who 
cried, “Violet,” and changed places with 
him, calling for a flower whose name be- 
gan with another letter, as “D” for “Dan- 
delion” or “Daisy.” The game went on 
merrily. Every time after a flower was 
named the Bunnies skipped round the 
circle singing, to the tune of “Twinkle 
Little Star,” 


28 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


“Flower Games we love to play, 

In the spring when we are gay; 

If you’ll learn the Flower’s names, 

You can come and join our games.” 

They had such a merry time that they 
almost forgot to go in to dinner. 

As they finally sat down to dinner a 
Fairy Voice called, 

“I am Skunk Cabbage; for me make 
room, 

I am the earliest Wild Flower to 
bloom. 

I am useful to you, you see; 

My root is used as a remedy.” 

Though the Bunnies liked Vegetable 
Cabbage they would not let the Skunk 
Cabbage in. 

After dinner was over. Old Father 
Bun said, “I like to tell stories.” 

Old Mother Bun, who was something 
of a tease, said, 

“Why don’t you make that into a verse? 
It may sound better, or may sound 
worsa” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 29 


Old Father Bun thought a few minutes 
and then said, 

“I like to tell stories about Flowers; 

I could tell them for hours and hours.” 

Old Mother Bun had picked a Snow- 
drop and it nodded to them and whis- 
pered, before Old Father Bun could say 
another word. 

The Snowdrop said a story was told 
about her being made from a snow- 
flake as an angel breathed upon her, 
and this comforted Eve, with the mes- 



30 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


sage of Spring, and so the Snowdrop be- 
came a flower of comfort and promise. 





MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 31 


As the Bunnies grew thoughtful they 
noticed a few flakes of snow falling, 
and they saw that they took the form 
of beautiful snow crystals. 

“Oh, oh,” cried Old Mother Bun. “See 
the snow falling.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“The snow will not hurt your flowers, I 
know; 

The snow will soon melt and make 
them grow.” 

Sure enough, the light fall of snow 
did not hurt the flowers at all, and soon 
the sun shone and Shadow Bunny called, 

“Come out and play, come out and play; 

Come and enjoy this flne spring day.” 

When evening came the Bunnies were 
so tired they went happily off to bed. 
Old Mother Bun told them a story about 
her Tulip Bed. She said she once heard 
a Folk-Tale about Old Mother Delight 
who went out one night with a lighted 
lantern in her garden, and discovered 
that the Fairies had hidden their babies 
in her Tulips for the night. 


32 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


Mother Delight planted more Tulip 
Bulbs and the Fairies were so happy 
they brought her Good Luck. 

Mother Delight looked at one of her 
Tulips and said, “You look so like a 
turban, I believe you were named from 
your resemblance to it, and you are so 
beautiful no wonder they hold a Tulip 
Festival in Turkey every year.” 

Old Mother Bun’s voice grew lower 
and lower and sank to a whisper as the 
little Bunnies fell asleep. 

They did not know at that very minute 
FIVE LITTLE FAIRIES WERE 
CURLED UP IN THE TULIPS IN 
THEIR OWN GARDEN. 

These Fairies were named the Tick- 
lish Elf, the Useful Elf, the Laughing 
Elf, the Impish Elf, the Pretty Elf. 

The first letters of their names spelled 
downward made the name “TULIP.” 

If you read on you will learn what 
the little Elves did in Mother Bun’s 
Garden. 



Old Lady Bunny and Her Tulips 





1 

,3 

.1 

J 

■| 



CHAPTER III. 


MORE WILD FLOWERS. 


Tulip Fairies, Tulip Fairies, 

In your garments light and airy. 

Tulip Fairies, we wish you well. 

In the garden cast a spell. 

Old Mother Bun called, 

“Time to get up, I give fair warning. 
Time to get up this bright spring 
morning.” 

The little Bunnies did not like to get 
up and the Elves in the Tulip Bed said, 

“Let us come help, every one. 

For we all love Old Mother Bun.” 

The Ticklish Elf tumbled out of the 
Tulip Bed head first, and climbed up 
the water spout, and into the window 
where Healthy Bunny and Pretty 
Bunny were lying in their little beds. 


33 


34 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

He tickled their noses and tickled their 
toes; 

He made them good-natured, as you 
would suppose. 

The Useful Elf helped them dress. 

The Laughing Elf set them laughing. 

The Impish Elf hid their hair ribbons, 
and shoes, and played many tricks upon 
them. 

The Pretty Elf just sat on the mantle 
piece and looked as pretty as pretty 
could be. 

The Bunnies had a merry time and 
Old Mother Bun was happy when she 
saw her red Tulips, red and yellow, for 
the Elves had used their paint brushes 
to make the Tulips gay. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“Here is also a pretty sight. 

My dwarf dandelions close at night.” 

Her wild flower garden was bordered 
with little dwarf dandelions. 

The Bunnies all went into the garden 
and the Elves disappeared. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 36 


Old Mother Bun said, 

“In a garden we must not shirk; 

There is always plenty of work.” 

So they began to pull weeds and 
talked about watering thirsty flowers. 

Old Father Bun came out with a 
basket and said he was going to the 
woods to get Mullen leaves. He said, 

“I will use the leaves for lamp-wicks, you 
know. 

As the Greeks did once so long ago.” 

Old Mother Bun said, “Be sure to 
gather plenty of Mullen leaves, for I will 
soak them in oil and if any one gets a 
pain that will help them.” So Old Father 
Bun went off singing, 

“Mullen leaves, Mullen leaves 
Are good for him who believes; 

In witches’ spell or Fairy art 
Use Mullen leaves, and pain will de- 
part.” 

The Sunflowers had been sowing their 
own seeds in Old Mother Bun’s garden. 


36 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


She was so glad to see them and knew 
they would attract birds who liked to 
eat the seeds. 



She knew, too, that oil from them could 
be used to burn. She continued, that 
paper is made from stalk, head, and 
stem of the sunflower. 

The Humming Bird came and sang, 

“There is one thing I forgot to mention, 
I am looking for a wild fringed 
Gentian;” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 37 


He said, “I have looked quarter of an 
hour 

For this wonderful Sky-Blue Flower.” 

Sure enough, the Humming Bird 
greatly loved flowers of a certain color, 
and the Fringed Gentian was nearer the 
color of the sky than any Flower that 
grew. Best of all, the Gentian was real- 
ly growing in one corner of Old Mother 
Bun’s garden, and the Humming Bird 
hummed with delight. 

The little Bunnies said, 

“Perhaps each Elf wears an invisible 
cloak. 

For time and again we thought they 
spoke.” 

They liked to imagine that the Elves 
from the Tulip Bed were about the 
garden in the day time, to help them. 

Said Old Mother Bun, “Come and see 
The buds upon the lilac tree.” 

The old Lilac bush was full of buds 
and Pretty Bunny picked a branch and 


38 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



took it into the house, and set it in a 
jar of water. 


Old Mother Bunny taught the Bun- 
nies the names of all the Wild Flowers 
in her garden. There were the Violets 
and Anemones, the Blood-Root, and 
Dandelions, the Wild-Ginger and fringed 
Gentian, the Jack-In-The-Pulpit and 
Trillium, the Flax, and Mustard, and 
Lady’s Slipper and many others. 

Healthy Bunny whispered to Pretty 
Bunny, 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 39 


“Every year Mother Bun begs 
For a plant called ‘Butter- And-Eggs.’ ” 

They slipped away to look for this wild 
flower that grows by the roadside, but 
they were too early to And it in bloom. 

They met Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny, 
and Shadow Bunny, and Homeless 
Bunny, and they all traveled together 
and sang, 

“It is merry springtime if you please; 
Buds are swelling on the trees. 

A little more sun, a little more shower, 
Apple blossoms will appear in an hour.” 

It was almost Apple Blossom time. 

Shadow Bunny followed them around 
everywhere and said by and by, 

“I am learning to talk in verse; 
ril tell you about the Shepherd’s Purse; 
The Flower is called ‘Pick-Pocket,’ 
merry Elf, 

For this is a Flower that sows itself.” 

He explained that the farmer disliked 
this flower for sowing itself, and spread- 
ing over fertile soil they wanted for plant- 
ing. 


40 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



Just then, Old Father Bun returned 
with his pocket full of mullen leaves and 
he said he brought home a bouquet of 
dandelions. He had buttercups, too, in 
his basket. He said that he found but- 
tercups all over the meadows and they 
were not liked by cows or horses because 
of the bitter juice they contained. He 
said as nothing troubled the buttercups, 
they bloomed freely everywhere. He 
had gathered marsh buttercups, creeping 
buttercups and bristly buttercups. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 41 


He said he found some common flax 
growing a foot and a half high. The 
blue flowers were pretty and he said it 
was a most useful plant, linen being 
made from its fibres, and oil from its 
seed. 

He said while resting in the meadow 
the Flax told him this story: “The Earth 
Goddess Hilda comes to visit us. She 
comes to the earth to see how much 
Flax is planted, and returns by winter 
to see if there is enough Flax for spring 
and if the spinning wheels are all busy. 
She rewards the busy people and pun- 
ishes the lazy ones.” 

After supper the Bunnies gathered 
round the bunch of Dandelions Old 
Father Bun had gathered, and one Dan- 
delion, larger than the rest, began to 
talk. It said, “Once upon a time the 
South Wind loved me, for I was then a 
young girl with yellow hair, and for a 
while I grew more and more beautiful; 
but by and by I grew old and faded, 
for I was touched by a breath of the 
North Wind. The South Wind sighed, 
and soon I was gone, but the next year 


42 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

the ground was covered with flowers like 
me. I am now said to resemble the sun, 
and, like other flowers, turn toward it.” 

The Bunnies drew and colored a pic- 
ture of the dandelion and wrote the 
story in a little book to keep. 

Old Mother Bun called just for fun, 
“Come to the window, every one.” 

The Evening Primrose was opening. 
It was uncurling its petals for the visit of 
the night moth. 

Pretty Bunny said, “I wonder if it 
will be the cradle for a wee little Elf, 
as the Tulip is.” 

Healthy Bunny said, “I know a funny 
thing about it. Its root was used to eat, 
long before that of the sweet potato.” 

Said Old Father Bun, “It amuses me 
quite. 

Some flowers open, and some close at 
night.” 

A dwarf dandelion in the garden sang, 

“Little Fairies I will invite. 

For I, too, close at night.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 43 



There was music in the garden for the 
Harebells were ringing; they sang of 
the “Bluebells of Scotland.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“A wheelbarrow I’ll buy or borrow, 

To help you do more work to-morrow.” 

Old Mother Bun replied, 

“We will be busy indeed, I know. 

We have so many seeds to sow.” 


44 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

Healthy Bunny and Pretty Bunny 
went off to bed singing, 

“Little Elves in our Tulip Bed 
Have painted them all yellow and red.” 

Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny and Home- 
less Bunny had gone away, but they 
begged to be allowed to come and plant 
next day. 

Just as the little Bunnies were falling 
asleep there arose a voice, and they knew 
that spring had surely come, for the dear 
Little Tree Toad, who ate harmful insects, 
called, 

“The Tree Toad by the garden bed. 

Has many secrete, it is said. 

I am not useless, I beg pardon. 

But eat insects from your garden; 

I sing and sing and seldom stop. 

As I go about hippety-hop.” 

The Ticklish Elf peeped in the win- 
dow early next morning and tickled the 
Bunnies with a bit of grass, calling, 

“Let us go to the garden of Old Mother 
Bun; 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 46 


There will be fun there for every one.” 

Healthy Bunny and Pretty Bunny got 
up quickly and dressed and the Ticklish 
Elf said, as the Bunnies complained that 
the grass tickled their toes, 

“The grass is my friend, for, goodness 
knows, 

I belong to the family of Tickle Toes.” 

“Are there Fairy Families and Flower 
Families?” asked the Bunnies in sur- 
prise. 

The Ticklish Elf did not answer the 
first part of the question but went off 
singing, 

“The Mint Family and Holly Family, 
The Night Shade and Gentian Family, 
The Rose and Nettle Family, 

Are known to the Elf 
Who lives all by himself.” 

So saying, he floated away on a sun- 
beam and the Bunnies cried, 

“Hurrah for the Elf, we have learned, 
you see. 

Each Flower belongs to a Family.” 


CHAPTER IV. 


ROOTS OF A PLANT— THE LEGEND 
OF COTTON. 


“Every plant, as I believe. 

Is composed of Root, Stem, and Leaves; 
When the planting time is done. 

Let’s study them with Old Mother Bun.” 

Every one was hurrying next day to 
finish the seed planting. There were 
Morning Glory seeds and Nasturtium 
seeds to plant by the porch. There were 
Pansy seeds to plant in the little round 
bed by the front door. There were seeds 
of Bachelor’s Buttons and Mignonette. 

Suddenly Old Father Bun came with a 
fiag from the house and shouted, 

“Here is an idea, perhaps it’s new. 

Let’s plant a flower bed, red, white and 
blue.” 


46 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 47 


“A red, white and blue garden,” said 
Healthy Bunny. 

“A red, white and blue flower bed,” 
said Pretty Bunny. 

“Red, white and blue, red, white and 
blue,” sang the Bunnies together. Echo 
Bunny called, “Red, white and blue.” 

Old Mother Bun helped plan the red, 
white, and blue flower bed. She said, 
“We can have Salvia for the red flow- 
ers, and Daisies for the white. For the 
blue flowers we can have Forget-Me- 
Nots, or Phlox, Blue Bells or Gentians.” 
She said, “Where did you get the idea?” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“I took one cabbage, I hope he’ll pardon. 
From Mr. McGregor’s splendid garden. 
Then I saw he had the idea, too. 

Of planting his flowers red, white, and 
blue.” 

The Bunnies went to work in real 
earnest on the red, white, and blue 
flower bed. 

When they grew tired working, they 
played this flower game. 


48 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

Old Father Bunny stood in the centre 
of a circle. 

Father Bunny pointed to any Bunny 
in the circle saying, 

“How do you do? how do you do? 

I think of a flower whose color is blue.” 

HQi called on any Bunny who had to 
name a blue flower or go out of the 
game. A different color was called for 
each time and they sang a little song 
to the tune of “Lightly Row,” 

“Pink or blue, pink or blue. 

Little flowers, how do you do? 

Pink or blue, pink or blue. 

Other colors too. 

Yellow, orange, red or white. 

Pink or blue, pink or blue, 

I can name, can you?” 

Shadow Bunny, and Homeless Bunny, 
and Happy-Go-Luck Bunny helped them 
play the game. Pretty Bunny and 
Healthy Bunny could not always name a 
flower quickly. 

Those five little Bunnies stood in a row 
and watched Old Mother Bun plant her 
garden, then as a little shower came up 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 49 


all came inside but Shadow Bunny who 
called, 

“I hope you will have lots of fun; 

I always vanish with the sun.” 

Said Old Father Bun, talking' half to 
himself, 

“Best of all I like the fruits. 

But to-day let’s study roots.” 

He said the root is the simplest part 
of the plant and he said a plant has a 
primary root which it sends down into 
the soil, and some plants also have sec- 
ondary roots which spring from the 
stem. 

Some time before Old Mother Bun had 
planted a sweet pea. She had stretched 
a piece of netting over a glass with 
water in it, and had placed the pea on 
top of the netting. 

The Bunnies saw the roots growing 
downward. 

Mother Bun said to her son and 
daughter, 

“Roots will grow in earth or water.” 


50 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


The Bunnies decided to plant some 
seeds in this way and watch the roots 
grow. 

Mother Bun said, “See the early shoots; 
I also like to watch aerial roots.” 

Pretty Bunny said, “What are aerial 
roots?” 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“It seems to me now, I do declare. 
Aerial means something about the air.” 

They remembered that they had 
learned about Swallows being called 
“aerial birds,” because they spent so 
much time in the air, and so they asked 
eagerly where they could find some 
aerial roots. 

Said Old Father Bun, “Early this morn, 
I saw them on stalks of the Indian corn.” 

Old Mother Bun had read of a won- 
derful tree in India which sent out 
aerial roots. 

She said, 

“On the Banyan tree, aerial roots are 
found, 

Which grow from the branches to the 
ground.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 61 


Old Father Bun said, 

“Some air plants, I do declare. 

Send their roots into the air; 

They live on air, as you can see. 

And belong to the Orchid Family.” 


Old Mother Bun remarked. 



“The roots about us honestly toil. 
To absorb water from the soil.” 


Old Father Bun said in the Nature 
world about us everything had work to 
do, and everything had to do its part. 


52 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



A wee voice was heard calling, 

“I’m a Useful Elf, a Useful Elf; 

May I come in and talk myself?” 

Healthy Bunny went to let the Useful 
Elf into the house. 

The Wee Elf shook the water off his 
tiny leaf umbrella and called merrily, 

“Ha, ha, please let me explain, 

Flowers grow in sun and in the rain.” 

He said he had been waiting under a 
toad-stool to keep dry. He had noticed 
the open window and so thought he 
would come in a while. He continued, 

“I shake water off my rubber boots. 
Much to the delight of the fibrous 
roots.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 53 


Pretty Bunny inquired, “Do roots 
have names?” 

Healthy Bunny said, “Do fibrous roots 
like water?” 

The Useful Elf nodded and remarked, 

“Fibrous roots, so Fve heard said. 
Look much like slender -threads; 
Fleshy roots drink water up. 

Also store up nourishment; 

Try to think, don’t talk like a parrot. 
See the tap-root of the carrot.” 

He produced a tiny basket filled with 
carrots and they had a feast. When 
his basket was quite empty he said, 

“There are three kinds of tap-roots I 
know — 

Beet, radish, and turnips — in that way 
grow.” 

To the surprise of all, the basket was 
soon filled with vegetables again and the 
Beets called in loud voices, 

“We’re stout and gradually taper down; 
We’re the conical roots, just come to 
town.” 


64 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



The Radishes blushed and said, 

“We are spindle-shaped, we might as 
well tell; 

We taper downward, and up as well.” 

The Turnips were not to be out-done 
by the rest so they cried, 

“To the tap-roots we belong; 

We are turnip-shaped, wider and long.” 

Those funny little vegetables began to 
dance, and the Useful Elf began to 
dance, and soon the Bunnies were all 
dancing as though by magic. 

When they had danced themselves 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 66 


quite out of breath they sat down in a 
circle and begged the Elf to tell them 
a Fairy Tale. 

He said, 

“To get me started, I beg pardon. 

But mention something in your garden.” 

He looked hard at Old Mother Bun, 
for her garden was famous to all Elves 
and Fairies. 

She said, 

“We have many visitors, let me see, 

I will mention the Bumble-Bee.” 

The Elf said the same little verse look- 
ing hard at Old Father Bun, 

“To get me started, I beg pardon. 

But mention something in your garden.” 

Old Father Bun mentioned a Butter- 
fly and a Toad, a Robin and an Oriole, a 
Moth and Dragon^ Fly, but the Elf 
screwed up his wee face into many 
wrinkles, and it was only when Pretty 
Bunny cried out that he got started, 
and you see for yourself now what she 
mentioned. 


56 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

“Oh, little Elf, wait just a minute; 

I saw a web with a spider in it.” 

The Elf capered about and cried out, 

“I have to wind the machinery in my 
head 

By that word ‘Spider’ that you said.” 

He began to tell the Fairy Tale of 
Cotton, saying, — Once upon a time there 
was a Fairy forever spinning. 

If you called for breakfast, supper, 
dinner. 

You never saw so great a spinner. 

She was continually spinning from 
morning ’till night. 

Her Uncle had willed her, too, you see. 
For a spindle, the sting of a Bumble Bee. 

There was another spinner who lived 
near the Fairy. He was an enormous 
spider with stripes upon his back. He 
did not like to think the Fairy was a 
more wonderful spinner than he, so he 
decided to kill her. She was frightened 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 57 


and began to run, carefully hiding her 
spindle, and the spider ran after her. 

She came to the house of a wee gray 
Mouse 

And said, “May I rest in your little 
house?” 

The Mouse was busy eating cheese 
and would not open the door of his 
house. 

To the Tree-Toad she told her plight. 

He said, “Call on me some other night.” 

You might guess a long time before 
you could tell who at last befriended the 
Fairy. It was a Firefly at last who led 
her onward by his fairy lantern. He 
showed her a pink flower and told her 
to jump inside. She did so, spindle, spin- 
ning wheel and all, but the ugly Spider 
was almost upon her. 

There was nothing left for the Fairy 
to do but to stab him with the spindle, 
so she did so, and the ugly spider fell 
to the ground. Then the pink flower 
closed over the Fairy. 


58 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

Though the ugly Spider wove a web 
over the flower he could not get in. He 
said, 

“Now I give to all fair warning 
I will catch the Fairy in the morning.” 

Time passed, the Fairy did not come 
out. The flower lost its petals, still no 
Fairy was seen. 

The ugly Spider died but the Fairy was 
alive and well hidden in the ball the 
flower had made. The ball opened soon 
and out came a pure, white tassel the 
Fairy had been spinning! 

We love to think of the industrious 
Fairy now when we wear a garment 
made of cotton. 

The voice of the little Elf sank lower 
and lower and soon the little Bunnies 
were fast asleep. He sang, 

“I wonder how much they’ve heard, I 
said, 

I must go back to the Tulip Bed; 

There is fun for me and every one. 

In the garden planted by Old Mother 
Bun.” 


CHAPTER V. 


LITTLE ELF LAUGHTER 


Mother Bun is happy, I’ve heard it said, 
When she looks at her pretty nasturtium 
bed; 

The geraniums are also blooming well. 
And each one has a story to tell. 

When the Tulips had finished bloom- 
ing for one season, the little Elves who 
had rocked to and fro in them liked 
Mother Burv’s garden so well that they 
found other flowers in which to hide. 

“Ha, ha, ha,” sang Little Elf Laughter, 
“Here is the flower I’m looking after.” 

He settled in a bright, red nasturtium 
for a nap. 

Next day he was here, and there, and 
everywhere. 

When Healthy Bunny and Pretty 
Bunny were a little cross at breakfast, 
he climbed a morning glory vine and 


59 


60 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


peeped in. the window, and screwed up 
his face into a thousand wrinkles. 

He looked so sorrowful that the Bun- 
nies laughed in spite of themselves. 

Later, when Old Father Bun looked 
quite fierce because he could not find his 
pipe, little Elf Laughter sang, 

‘1 am Little Elf Laughter, Little Elf 
Laughter, 

I can find what you’re looking after.” 

When Old Mother Bun was fretting 
about the house cleaning, the Little Elf 
called, 

“Ha, ha, ha, with laugh and song 
I will help the work along.” 

When they were all merrily working 
in the garden and a sudden shower came 
up, he would sing, 

“Ha, ha, ha, let’s never scold. 

Some one may find the pot of gold.” 

“The pot of gold?” said Old Father 
Bun. 

“The pot of gold?” inquired Old Mother 
Bun. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 61 


“Where is the pot of gold?” asked 
Pretty Bun. 

Then, with a merry laugh, Little Elf 
Laughter told the story of the pot of 
gold at the rainbow end. 

The Nasturtium bed was full of bloom; 
the pretty flowers nodded to and fro. 

“We like to grow in this bed each year. 
Pick us as soon as we appear. 

And there is one thing we might men- 
tion. 

We really need very little attention.” 

Sure enough, the Nasturtium bed 
needed little attention after the seeds 
were once planted, and the Humming 
Bird came saying, 

“To me, the Nasturtium bed is sweet, 

I always And here quite a treat.” 

The Geraniums fairly shouted, 

“Little Elf Laughter, we’re glad you 
came; 

Geranium is our general name. 


62 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



Our seed-pod is like the beak of a bird; 

We’re named from a word meaning- 
‘stork’, we’ve heard.” 

Little Elf Laughter said, “The seed 
pod on this flower does look somewhat 
like a stork’s bill, I think.” 

Healthy Bunny said, “Are all kinds of 
Geraniums the same?” 

Pretty Bunny said, “They have dif- 
ferent colors. I know that much.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 63 


Little Elf Laughter ran to one Geran- 
ium and pressed the leaf between his 
tiny fingers. It smelled a little of pep- 
permint. He saidl, “This is the Pepper- 
mint Geranium.” 

The flowers were white on this plant, 
and the leaves were very velvety. 

The Rose Geranium sang, 

“I am very happy, as you suppose; 

My leaves when pressed smell like a 
Rose.” 

Little Elf Laughter pressed another 
Geranium leaf tightly and sang, “The 
leaves on this plant smell of penny- 
royal.” 

The Ivy-Leaved Geranium did not want 
to remain unnoticed, so it called, 

“See my Ivy-leaves, what do you think! 

Some of my flowers are red, some pink.” 

Little Elf Laughter knew the garden 
and all the flowers in it well. He pointed 
out the horse shoe marks on the leaves 
of some of the Geraniums and said, 


64 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


“Here’s a different Geranium, as you see; 
It belongs to the Horseshoe variety.” 

Next, they saw some showy flowers 
and Little Elf Laughter said, 

“Our Geranium list is almost done; 
Here is Lady Washington.” 

Just then, a voice called, 

“Here I am, Fm a late-comer, 

Purple Verbena, I bloom all summer.” 

There was a great stir in the Poppy 
Bed and the Marigolds looked very 
splendid beside a tiny white flower called 
Love-In-The-Mist. 

Little Elf Laughter cried, “Ho, ho. 

See the Pansy faces in a row.” 

All the Bunnies loved the Pansies for 
the brave little fellows sprang up 
early, and bloomed late, and were not 
afraid of frost or cold. 

While the other Bunnies picked flow- 
ers, Old Father Bun ran to and fro and 
finally said, 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 66 


“Here is the spot, we’ll give it a trial; 
Here is the place for my new sun-dial.” 

He was planning to measure time by a 
sun-dial. He had a metal plate and dial 
plane which was marked off to show di- 
rections of shadows at different hours. 

The first sun-dial known was spoken 
of in one of the books of the Bible, 
Isaiah, and the sun-dial is older than 
any clock or watch. 

He said a moon-dial was made to 
measure night hours by showing the 
shadow of the moon or stars. 

Patter, patter, patter, fell the drops of 
rain. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“Into the house we’ll go again; 

My flowers grow in sun and rain.” 

Into the house they went, and Old 
Father Bun said, 

“Flowers, shrubs and trees, as I believe. 
Always have roots, stems, and leaves.” 

Old Mother Bun said. 


66 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


“You will notice the stem, if you’re wide 
awake, 

And see the direction it will take. 

An erect stem grows straight up, you 
see. 

Straight and upright as can possibly 
be; 

An ascending stem, slanting from the 
ground. 

By the Bunnies is very often found. 

We don’t have to search very far to 
find 

Another kind of stem that is declined; 

A decumbent stem is also found. 

The lower part upon the ground; 

A climbing stem with tendrils, too. 

Some day I’ll introduce to you.” 

The Bunnies knew many climbing 
stems and shouted, “Grape-Vine, Ivy, 
Trumpet-creeper, Pea, Gourd.” They 
also talked about round and square 
stems. 

Old Mother Bun said, “What Flower 
Legend shall I tell to-day?” She went 
on in verse. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 67 


“What Flower Legend shall I tell? 

I know and love all flowers well.” 

The Bunnies thought for some time, 
but it was Little Elf Laughter who sug- 
gested, 

“Drink Motherwort and you’ll live long. 
So goes the Legend and the Song.” 

Old Mother Bun said, “In far-away 
Japan, a stream runs down a hill where 
motherwort grows, and the story goes 
that people who drink water from that 
stream are always young. The Japanese 
hold a festival called ‘The Motherwort 
Festival,’ and they have a drink made 
from this plant.” 

By and by the rain was over and the 
Bunnies went off to look for the rain- 
bow end, for they wanted to And the pot 
of gold. 

Old Father Bun sat comfortably in his 
arm-chair and his head went nid-nid 
nodding as he said over and over, 

“Old Mother Bun has happy hours, 
With new and old-fashioned flowers.” 


68 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

Old Mother Bun went out into her 
garden. 

All the flowers were happy because 
of the shower. 

Suddenly she heard Little Elf 
Laughter singing, 

“The pot of gold at the rainbow end 
May be found near home, my friend.” 

Old Mother Bun looked down at the 
end of the garden, and there, sure 
enough, she thought she saw the rain- 
bow end. She began to dig and dig, and 
she did strike something bright and 
shining. She found a wee pot of gold, 
and whether it belonged to the rainbow 
end, or the Elves, she did not stop to 
ask. 

She peeped inside and said, “I will 
tell no one yet what I have found; I will 
tell no one yet what is inside.” 

Healthy Bunny and Pretty Bunny 
came home tired. 

Old Father Bun said, 

“Did you find the pot of gold? 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 69 


TC 



Though you are tired, please do not 
scold.” 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“Fll show you the pot of gold in a 
minute. 

But please do not ask me what is in 
it.” 

The Bunnies begged Old Mother Bun 
to tell her secret. 


CHAPTER VI. 


LEAVES AND A FLOWER 
ALPHABET 

Trees in Mother Bun’s garden grow 
With many kinds of leaves, you know; 
But the little pine tree here 
Is evergreen throughout the year. 

“A picnic, a picnic,” cried Old Mother 
Bun. 

Let us go on a picnic just for fun.” 

Old Father Bun winked his eyes and 
twitched his long ears to and fro and 
said, 

“Would you leave your garden for an 
hour? 

You might miss a bud, a leaf or 
flower.” 

He liked to tease Mother Bun about 
her flowers. 


70 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 71 


Pretty Bunny cried, “Do let me go 
and get Homeless Bunny and Happy 
Bunny, and Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny and 
invite them all to go with us to a picnic.” 

Healthy Bunny said, “I will pack our 
lunch pail.” 

Just then a wee little voice cried, 

“Ha, ha, ha. I’ll help you myself, 

I came from the Tulip, the Impish Elf.” 

The Impish Elf came in and jumped 
into the butter dish and left the tracks 
of his little feet all over the oil cloth.” 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“Don’t play tricks on any one; 

Don’t play tricks while I am gone.” 

“Can’t I play a trick on the tree-toad 
or dragon fly or on the little white but- 
terflies?” asked the Impish Elf. 

Just then Pretty Bunny saw little 
white butterflies sailing over the pop- 
pies and sang to the tune of “Twinkle 
Little Star,” 


72 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



“Butterflies, how do you do? 

Butterflies sail two and two, 

Oh, you are a pretty sight. 

Butterflies so pure and white.” 

The Bunnies went to the woods for 
their picnic and after they had lunch 




OK! Tou are a Pretty? SigKt 
Butterflies So Pure and White! 



MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 73 


Old Father Bun told about some Dryads 
that lived in the trees. 

“Hark! what is that?” cried Healthy 
Bunny. 

Click, click, click, like a key. 

Sounded near them in a tree. 

The tree-trunk opened and there 
stood a Woodland Fairy. She smiled 
and said, “I will tell you a story about 
a Nymph who once lived in an oak tree. 
She belonged to Ceres, a goddess of long 
ago. One day a man ordered the oak, 
in which she lived, to be cut down, though 
every one begged that it be saved. As 
the woodmen would not cut it down, the 
lord who owned the place seized the ax 
and cut it down himself. Then the 
Nymph pronounced this magic upon 
him, ‘He can eat and eat but will always 
be hungry.’ ” As she finished her story 
the Nymph disappeared in the tree. 

The Bunnies tapped on many tree- 
trunks to see if another Nymph would 
come out. They heard a voice call, 

“Ha, ha, ha, let me out. 

All day long I sing and shout.” 


74 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



The voice came from another oak tree, 
and looking below it, the Bunnies found 



MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 75 



a key and unlocked a door in the tree 
and out came a Dryad with another 
story to tell. 

She said, 

“A statue of the Virgin, long ago. 

Was placed once in an oak, you know. 

A shepherd before it his flute would 
play; 

From a church the statue he’d taken 
away. 

He was sentenced to prison for theft, 
you see. 

And the statue taken out of the tree. 


76 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


That night the statue walked out, they 
say, 

And let the imprisoned shepherd away. 

I hope you’ll remember this tale of 
mine. 

Because the image became a shrine.” 

Back into the tree went the Dryad and 
the Bunnies said, “What wonderful 
stories we learn in the woods to-day.” 

Just then a call “Help, help,” was 
heard. 

Happy-Go-Lucky had fallen into the 
stream and Homeless Bunny was trying 
to get him out 

They all ran as fast as they could and 
by and by rescued him; then Old Father 
Bun built a fire so they could all warm 
their paws andl whiskers. 

Picking up a branch from the Linden 
tree Old Mother Bun said, 

“The blade, foot-stalk and stipules see, 

The parts of the leaf upon the tree.” 

The Bunnies drew near her to see the 
branch she was looking at. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 77 


Old Father Bun said, 

“Here is something that IVe found. 
Leaves are simple, or compound. 
Simple, when in one piece, ’tis said. 
Compound, when more pieces in the 
blade.” 

The Bunnies gathered leaves about 
them. They saw that some wereParallel- 
veined and some were Feather-veined. 
Some of the veins in the leaves ran side 
by side, and, some of them branched out. 
They saw some wild grape vine leaves 
that were still different; they had three 
main ribs and veins extending out from 
them. They were called Radiate-veined. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“We would be here 'till set of sun. 

If we studied leaf-shapes every one.” 

Old Father Bun’s eyes twinkled and 
he said, 

“Leaves have different margins too; 
Some of them I’ll introduce to you.” 

Then the first surprising thing hap- 
pened! 


78 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


The wind blew a great blast and down 
fell many leaves. They made a gay 
carpet. 

The little Bunnies cried, “What fun! 

It is almost as though autumn had 
come.” 

Then the second surprising thing 
happened! For they were in a fairy wood- 
land. Every leaf began to talk, and 
by placing it to the ear each Bunny 
could hear what it wanted to say. 

One leaf said, 

“My shape is Linear, longer than wide; 
I could tell you other things beside.” 

Another voice cried, 

“I am Lance-shaped, to a point I taper; 
The wind plays with me many a 
caper.” 

Another voice cried, 

“I am not nearly as broad as long; 

Tell it in verse, I am called oblong.” 

The Oval leaf spoke, and the Ovate- 
leaf, the Heart-shaped leaf, and the 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 79 



Kidney-shaped leaf, the Arrow-shaped 
leaf and the Ear-shaped leaf, and then 
the third surprising thing happened! 


80 MOTHEK BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


The breeze sang merrily, 

“So many times before we have met, 
Let us have a Flower Alphabet.” 

In trooped Flower Fairies wearing 

dresses like real Flowers. They formed 

a circle, dancing and singing, 

“Amaryllis is my name. 

Bouncing Bet, Fm glad I came. 

Here are the Canterbury Bells, 

Daisies blossom in the dells. 
Everlasting flowers in the spring. 
Four O’clock, hear the wee bells ring. 
Geraniums grow in the garden bed. 
Hollyhocks hold high each head. 

Iris is a jolly fellow, 

Jack-In-The-Pulpit is black and yellow, 
Knottweed is a pretty pink. 

So the Tiger Lilies think. 

Marigold, Marigold, 

Nasturtium loves her, so I’m told, 
Oxalis or wood-sorrel. 

With Peony had a quarrel. 

Quaint, indeed, is Prince’s Father, 
Red-Hot Pokers grow together. 
Shepherd’s purse with fairy money. 
Tobacco plant, thinks quite funny, 
Uvularia perfoliate is the lily. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 81 


Verbena says hard names are silly, 
Water-cress says to yellow-eyed grass 
Xyris flexuosa is a hard name, alas! 
Yarrow, that common roadside flower, 
Zinnia says will bloom many an hour.” 

The merriest flower of all was the 
Daisy and she sang, 

“Perhaps some one will explain. 

When you make a Daisy-chain, 

Why you can count for hours and hours, 
In my centre tiny flowers!” 

Just then the fourth surprising 
thing happened! 

A great wind came up and blew Home- 
less Bunny over hill and dale. It blew 
Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny over hill and 
dale and up onto Primrose Hill. It blew 
Shadow Bunny to the end of Nowhere. 
The little Bunny family it blew safely 
home to their own door-step. 

Each Hollyhock raised a stately head. 
But not a single word they said; 
Growing by the garden wall. 

They did not seem surprised at all. 

When the Bunnies got inside, the table 


82 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


was neatly set for supper, and a wee 
voice cried, 

“Fve come to live with you — ^it's funny. 
But my name is Stay-At-Home-Bunny.” 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“I know that we will love you, honey; 
I’m glad to see you, Stay-At-Home- 
Bunny.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“Stay-At-Home-Bunny, I beg pardon, 
Have you looked at Old Mother Bun’s 
garden?” 

The Stay-At-Home Bunny winked her 
eyes and nodded her head. She whis- 
pered to Old Father Bun, 

“For hours and hours we’ll have to make 
A very wonderful Birthday Cake, 

Or else at the store we’ll have to try 
A wonderful Birthday Cake to buy; 

So, come early and enjoy the fun 
At the Birthday Party of Old Mother 
Bun.” 

Old Father Bun looked wise and said, 
“No wonder I look old and wise. 

Next week we’ll have a fine surprise.” 


CHAPTER VII. 


A BIRTHDAY PARTY 


A Birthday Party is lots of fun, 

So come and see Old Mother Bun. 

To her party then let’s repair; 

We all will have a good time there. 

When Old Mother Bun’s Birthday 
came Old Father Bun said, 

“I must pat you, so I am told. 

As many years as you’re years old.” 

Old Mother Bun went and hid in the 
closet. 

Pretty Bunny said, 

“I’ve a present for you. Mother Bun; 
Come out now and enjoy the fun.” 

Old Mother Bun peeped out of the 
closet and saw that Pretty Bunny had 
brought her a new table cloth. 

Then Healthy Bunny came hippety-hop; 
He said, “I bought this at the shop.” 


83 


84 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

He gave Old Mother Bun a new break- 
fast cap. 

Old Father Bun said, “I declare, 

Here’s a new rocking chair.” 

Old Mother Bun was so pleased with 
her presents that she did not hear the 
bell go “tinkle, tinkle, tinkle.” 

By and by a voice cried, 

“Old Mother Bun, we beg your pardon. 
But here is a party in your garden.” 

Into the garden trooped the Flower 
Families. 

There was the Pink Family, and the 
Geranium Family, and the Mint Family, 
the Sunflower Family, and the Primrose 
Family. The Nettle Family even peeped 
boldly over the fence!! 

Old Mother Bun said, “I made a mistake; 
I never thought of a Birthday cake.” 

Then all the Bunnies shouted and out 
came Old Father Bun with a Birthday 
Cake with many candles upon it. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 85 



All the visitors did not arrive on 
time. 

The Butterflies came in handsome 
dresses and brought Old Mother Bun a 
new mirror. 

The Birds came bringing her a new 
song book. 

By and by an old Peddler came singing, 

“I am a Peddler with a heavy pack; 

Of Birthday presents I have no lack: 
To stay at home I have no knack; 

I am a Peddler with a heavy pack.” 


86 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

The Flower Families crowded around 
the Peddler and each bought a present 
for Old Mother Bun. 

The Peddler had many interesting 
stories to tell, and the Pretty Elf told 
stories, and the Marigold Family told 
stories, too. The Pool-Flower had a 
word to say; the Water-Dragon and 
Mary Bud said, “Let us relate our own 
story, please.” They were all members 
of the Marigold Family. 

One of the members of the Marigold 
Family said, “Once Caltha fell in love 
with the Sun-god and looked up at him 
day after day. All night she waited for 
the first rosy hint of the sun’s coming. 
She became a spirit refiecting the sun, 
and she turned into a Marigold.” 

As it grew late, one member of the 
Marigold Family cried, 

“The Witches are coming, the Witches 
are coming; 

We had all better hide; 

The Witches are coming, the Witches 
are coming; 

They soon will take a ride.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 87 


One and all the Flower Families went 
home, and Echo Bunny who had come 
at the last minute called, speaking of the 
Witches, “a ride, a ride, a ride.” 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“The Ragweed is out, without a doubt. 
The Witches soon will all come out.” 

Sure enough, five and twenty witches 
came in the twilight and pulled up five 
and twenty stalks of Ragweed and rode 
away singing, 

“We search in the highways and the 
ditches; 

iWe are very little Witches; 

On Ragweed, we say, we’ll ride away, 
A year and a day, a year and a day.” 

The Pretty Elf said a magic charm. 

And so the Witches did no harm. 

Old Father Bun said, 

“The party is over, but let me say, 

I wish you happy returns of the day.” 

Old Mother Bun said. 


88 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

“Let’s gather some leaves; from what I 
hear; 

We are very near the fall of the year.” 

They gathered leaves and went inside 
and warmed their paws by the fire. 

The little Bunnies noticed that the 
leaves did not all look alike. They were 
different in size, form and color. 

The Pretty Elf sang, 

“Each leaf a fairy is, in pretty gown; 
Each leaf a fairy is, come to town. 

So close your eyes, if you are wise. 
And I will give you a surprise.” 

The Bunnies did as they were told, 
and when they opened their eyes each 
of the leaves they had gathered held a 
fairy. 

Maple and oak leaves, yellow and brown. 
Gay little play leaves, dancing down, 
down. 

One leaf with a smooth edge said, 

“To talk in verse is very fine; 

My margin is an even line.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 89 


Another leaf, with a fairy in it, cried, 

“I am jagged beyond belief; 

I am called a saw-toothed leaf.” 

Another said, 

“I am wavy in margin, as wavy can be. 
There are many kinds of leaf like me.” 

Still another leaf called, 

“Let me tell you before we start. 

My blade is cut up into parts; 

So that my verse may not be one-sided. 
Let me say we are lobed, cleft, parted, 
divided.” 

Each little fairy from the leaf danced 
to Old Mother Bun and left a present. 

Just as the Bunnies were wondering 
if it were bed time, a “rap-a-tap” was 
heard and in came the Peddler singing, 

‘T have traveled again hours and hours 
To see Mother Bunny and her Flowers.” 

Old Mother Bun gave the Peddler a 
fine supper and asked him to stay for 
the night. He said, after supper, 


90 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

“I have in my pack a little book; 

Bunnies, peep in and take a look.” 

Pretty Bunny and Healthy Bunny 
thought it great fun to peep into the 
Peddler’s pack, and by and by they 
drew out a wonderful book all about 
Flowers. 

It had one chapter called, “Uses of 
Plants.” 

The Bunnies read aloud, 

“Plants are useful, we declare; 

They help purify the air. 

Food for animals they yield 
In the meadow and the field: 

From seed and fibres, we believe. 
Clothing is made, and from mulberry 
leaves; 

They help make fuel, which makes 
light. 

You’ll learn when these lines you re- 
cite; 

Don’t forget, before we’re done. 

To mention their use for medicine.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 91 


Old Father Bun said, 

“I take off my hat to Old Mother Bun; 

I am serious, not in fun: 

Mother Bun’s Flowers so useful appear, 
I hope they will grow year after year.” 

The Pretty Elf danced to and fro, 

“Their perfume is a delight to me. 

To every Butterfly and Bee; 

That plants are useful is a surprise; 

I thought they were to delight the eyes.” 

Healthy Bunny said, 

“Old Mother Bun, I love flowers, too; 

I will help weed the garden for you.” 

Pretty Bunny said, 

“Old Mother Bun, I’m a faithful daughter; 
I will help the flowers to water.” 

They invited the Peddler to stay with 
them and he almost consented. He said 
at any rate he would give them the book 
about Flowers. 

When the Bunnies were falling asleep, 
they heard a gentle “pitter, patter,” 


92 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


Said Old Mother Bun, “What can be the 
matter?” 

The Peddler traveled down the stairs, 
Saying, “I hope nobody cares; 

I never had place for my abode; 

I travel off to the Song of the Road.” 

Next morning the little Bunnies looked 
under their pillows and each found a little 
booklet. One was shaped like a daisy 
and one like a buttercup. On each was 
written an invitation to a Flower Show. 
The invitation read, 

“We invite you — ^this is the reason. 

To view plants in and out of season. 

So hoppety-skip away you’ll go. 

With Mother Bun to the Flower Show.” 

Old Mother Bun said next day, 

“We’re happy as happy can be, you 
know; 

We’re off and away to the Flower 
Show.” 


CHAPTER VI. 


THE FLOWER SHOW 


“ ’Tis very Jolly fun, you know, 

To travel to a Flower Show, 

So come and join us, every one; 

We’re off and away with Old Mother 
Bun.” 

One fall day Old Mother Bun said, 

“Off and away we soon will go 
To the City Flower Show.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“Wait until my Scarecrow is made; 

The crows are in the corn. I’m afraid.” 

He went out to make a Scarecrow. 
Old Mother Bun called anxiously, 

“You’ll bring on yourself some disaster. 
If you step on my bed of asters!” 

Old Father Bun put up two sticks in 
the garden and nailed a board across. 


93 


S4 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


He put a hat and suit of clothes on his 
Scarecrow. The Scarecrow looked, very 
life-like when he was finished. 

One Bunny thought he could hear him 
walk; 

“I’m a Scarecrow and I must learn to 
walk, 

If not wise when you sleep or rise, 
Some day I may take you by surprise.” 

At this very instant Old Mother Bun 
called, 

“Father Bun, did you hear what I said? 
Don’t tumble into my Aster bed.” 

She was so afraid Father Bun would 
not notice where he was going and dis- 
turb some of her flowers. 

Old Mother Bun loved her fall flowers, 
so she called again, 

“Of my Petunias have a care; 

Father Bun, don’t step there.” 

Healthy Bunny and Pretty Bunny 
went out and gathered Golden-rod and 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 95 


brought it home, and set it in great jars 
by the front door. The Golden-rod said, 

“By the road I grow, but this I know, 
I sing it over, hour by hour, 

I sing it over hour by hour 
I am your chosen National Flower.” 

Even as the Golden-rod talked, the 
song-finch and song sparrow came to see 
if there were any seeds ready for them. 

Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny came in sight 
with a surprise for Old Mother Bun. He 
had a basket full of the little plant she 
wanted for her wild flower garden called, 
“Butter-And-Eggs.” 

These little plants trembled all over 
when they were transplanted into 
Mother Bun’s garden. 

The Butter-And-Eggs said, 

“We are curious as you know. 

We came from Europe long ago; 

We’ll tell some secrets by and by; 

Our flowers are often used for dye.” 


96 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



Happy Bunny came hoppety-skip 
along- shouting, 


“Who will go, who will go 
To the pretty Flower Show?” 

They could not see Echo Bunny but a 
voice called, “Flower Show.” 

Homeless Bunny and Shadow Bunny 
came with their baskets and cried. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 97 


“The time is creeping on, you know; 
Let’s all start to the Flower Show.” 

The Stay-At-Home Bunny said, “I beg 
pardon, 

But I will weed a while in Mother Bun’s 
garden.” 

The Bunnies all took rakes and hoes 
and began to weed the garden. They 
sang to the tune of “Lightly Row,” as 
they worked. 

“Rake and hoe, rake and hoe. 

Weed the flowers and help them grow; 
Rake and hoe, rake and hoe. 

Jolly fun you know. 

By and by come pleasant showers. 

All to help the thirsty flowers; 

Rake and hoe, rake and hoe. 

Help the flowers grow.” 

Soon everything seemed ready and 
they started off to the Flower Show, 
when Old Mother Bun turned her ankle 
and feared she could not walk another 
step, so they set up a wail, 

“Another step she cannot go, 

Alas! alas! for the Flower Show.” 


98 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

Old Father Bun got a wheelbarrow 
and they took turns wheeling her. 

When they came to the Flower Show 
they saw rooms and rooms filled with 
Cactus and many curious fiowers. 

The Pitcher Plant had each little 
pitcher partly filled with water. It said, 

‘T tell you I like boggy ground; 

I am glad you came around; 

Insects get in and laugh and shout, 
But I seldom let them out.” 

Pretty Bunny peeped into the Pitcher 
Plant and saw something sticky on the 
inside and hairs pointing downward 
which made it hard to get out. 

Old Mother Bun was much interested 
in the Cactus, and reaching out its 
thorns, it cried, 

“In the desert go look for me; 

I can store up water, you see. 

Of our 600 species I shout aloud; 

I can draw around me quite a crowd. 
Many things this plant affords. 

Among them fodder, fruit, and cords.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 99 



All the flowers were beautiful and 
each one had a story to tell. 

Old Father Bun bought a great basket 
of chrysanthemums to take home. One 
very large flower said, 

“Old Father Bun, do you hear me sigh? 
There are no Chrysanthemums in 
Himaji.” 

This flower said that Chrysanthemums 
grew all over China except in this one 



100 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


place, because it was not thought lucky 
to raise them there. 

The story goes that a great man once 
had a servant who took care of his gold 
plates, and one day one gold plate was 
missing. The servant was so afraid that 
she threw herself in a well, and her 
ghost comes every night at the stroke 
of nine to count the gold plates. 

All about the Flower Show were 
quaint figures, some of them made en- 
tirely of Chrysanthemums. 

On their way home the Bunnies met 
Mistress Mary and she was so contrary 
she would not tell how her flowers were 
growing. She only said, 

“The rose is red, the violet blue. 

The Gillyflower sweet — and so are you.” 

She looked at Old Mother Bun, for 
everyone loved her. 

The Bunnies were so tired Old Mother 
Bun began to tell them a story, as some 
of them rode in the wheelbarrow and 
some of them trudged along. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 101 



“There once was a wooden rocking 
horsG 

And I can tell you the story, of course.” 


102 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


She continued: “Every night he went 
to Sleepy Town and one night he saw 
Father Bun so sleepy that he said, 

“On the Rocking Horse you can go, 
Trot, trot, trot to Dreamland, you 
know.” 

Soon they met Shy Squirrel and 
Sleepy Sparrow and they all flew on the 
back of the Rocking Horse. 

All night long, all night long. 

The Rocking Horse sang his good night 
song.” 

At this very minute in the telling of 
the story there appeared a ROCKING 
HORSE in the road, and the Bunnies got 
on his back and left the old wheel bar- 
row in the road. 

Said the Rocking Horse, “I beg your 
pardon. 

But I want to rock into Mother Bun’s 
garden.” 

Soon they all arrived and the Rock- 
ing Horse rocked all about the garden 
and though they begged him to stay for 
the night he went off singing. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 103 



“On the Rocking Horse you can go, 
Trot, trot, trot, to Dreamland you 
know.” 

Next day Old Father Bun was so busy 
outside that Old Mother Bun inquired, 


104 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

“What are you doing in the garden?” 
Old Father Bun said, “Since you ask it, 

I am making an in-door basket.” 

He planned to put rich earth and slips 
in it and hang it up in the window. 

He said, 

“Autumn is coming in this world of 
ours; 

Jack Frost will freeze and tease the 
flowers.” 

Already the Bunnies had gathered 
flower seeds. 

Already they had gathered vegetables 
and put them in the cellar. 

Many plants wanted to be potted and 
taken in-doors. 

“Don’t forget me,” called each flower- 
pot; 

“I’ll hold a flower, as like as not.” 

The window-box cried: “Your next trip. 
Come and place in me another slip;” 
The Bulbs said to the Bunnies, son and 
daughter: 

“Plant us in earth or plant us in water.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 105 


They planted some Bulbs in water and 
watched the long white roots grow down- 
ward day after day, while the green 
stalks shot upward. 

That night Old Mother Bun was sit- 
ting up late when she heard a voice call, 

“Old Mother Bun, Old Mother Bun, 
Look at your Scarecrow, just for fun.” 

She looked out and saw the Scarecrow 
dancing to and fro and a Wee Elf peep- 
ing out of each pocket. 

She put on a shawl and went into the 
garden. 

Old Mother Bun went to her Pansy bed, 
“We grow the more you pick us,” they 
said. 

Old Mother Bun picked a basket full 
of Pansies to send to a sick neighbor 
the next day. 

She said, “Some pansies I’ll give away; 
I will send some to sick folks every day.” 

“Every day,” called Echo Bunny. 

The Pansies must have heard what 
Old Mother Bun and Echo Bunny said, 
for next day the bed was full of bloom. 


CHAPTER IX. 

THE GREEN HOUSE BUNNY 

“Mother Bunny, if you please, 

Tell us of your Flowering Trees, 

And we’ll join in laughter funny 
When we meet the Green House Bunny.” 

One afternoon Old Mother Bun had 
worked so hard in her garden that she 
fell asleep, and she thought instead of 
autumn it was springtime, and that she 
heard all her Flowering Trees talking 
together. 

The Redbud Tree said, 

“My flowers are pretty, every one believes. 
And I put out my pink flowers before 
my leaves.” 

The Silver Bell Tree laughed and its 
laughter sounded like a bell going 
“tinkle, tinkle, tinkle.” 

The Catalpa Tree sang. 


106 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 107 


“The wind shakes my branches, hours 
and hours; 

Down they fall, my big white flowers.” 

The Witch Hazel Tree said, 

“I love to bloom in this garden of yours; 
See my flower-parts, in fours.” 

The Hawthorn Tree said, 

“Spring time’s a happy time, every one 
believes; 

I put my flowers out, after my green 
leaves.” 

A voice sang, 

“Ha, ha, ha, now we see 
Flowers on the Nutmeg Tree.” 

The Nutmeg Flowers grow on an 
evergreen tree. 

The voice continued, 

“If spices are among your needs. 

I’ll tell you that we grow from seeds; 
After we sprout as like as not. 

You’d better put us in a pot; 
Transplanted then with care, you see, 
We’ll grow into a sturdy tree; 


108 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


Soon we’ll be growing safe and sound, 
And bear fruit all the year around.” 

Old Mother Bun was wakened from 
her dream by hearing a voice call, 

“Wake up, wake up, at any cost. 

We must haste before Jack Frost.” 

Old Father Bun had many flower-pots 
in a row, and the little Bunnies were 
helping him pot Geraniums. 

He said, 

“Dig up the roots with much dirt around; 
They will hardly know they have left 
the ground.” 

Old Mother Bun said, “I had such a 
wonderful dream! I thought it was 
springtime.” 

That evening as they sat by the Are, 
they heard some one call, 

“Rap-a-tap, rap-a-tap. 

Let me in, it’s no time to nap.” 

^ They opened the door and the cutest 
little fellow stood, hat in hand, saying. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 109 



“Ha, ha, you may think it funny. 

But I’m called the Green House Bunny.” 

He told Old Father Bun there were 
plenty of bricks in the back yard to start 
in building the Green House, and there 
were some old window-lights that would 
do for the hot beds. 

Next day they all set to work in real 
earnest and began to build. 

Old Mother Bun began to think of 
selling her flowers. 



110 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


She wrote cute little cards saying, 

“Come and see what I have new; 
Chrysanthemums I introduce to you.” 

Many of the potted plants fairly 
trembled in their pots as they thought of 
having a nice warm place to spend the 
winter in and a real Green House. 

The little Bunnies were planning one 
corner for their bulbs. They were plan- 
ning to plant slips in a bed of sand. 

The Green, House Bunny sang to the 
tune of “Yankee Doodle,” 

“If you will plant a slip each day. 

I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Sir. 

If you will plant a slip each day. 

We’ll soon have something new. Sir!” 

Chorus: 

“If you’ll learn to name them all. 
There’s no way of knowing. 

In the springtime or the fall. 

Pretty flowers are growing.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 111 


The Green House Bunny remarked, 

“Before I go on my vacation, 

I want to talk about propagation.” 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“Green House Bunny, before you go. 
Will you tell us how plants grow?” 

The Green House Bunny answered, 

“I like plants better far than weeds; 
They multiply by buds and seeds.” 

He took the Bunnies out into the 
garden and bent a branch down to the 
ground. He cut a notch in it, and cov- 
ered it with earth. He said it would root 
by and by and could be cut off then from 
the main branch. 

He said we could also make plants 
grow from slips, seeds, and bulbs. 

As they went back into the Green- 
house, the Green House Bunny showed 
them a picture of a water-lily, saying, 
“A Water-Nymph hides in the shape of 
a water-lily, and becomes a beautiful 
maiden when she chooses and. 


112 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


“A naughty little water-sprite 
Lives under the leaves from morn till 
night.” 

The little water-sprite tries to play 
tricks on any one who gathers the Water- 
lilies.” 

So saying, 

The Green House Bunny went hippety- 
hop, 

Off and away to his own little shop. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“We Bunnies will have capital fun. 

For now our Green House is nearly 
done.” 

Old Father Bun said, 

“Off and away to the woods I’ll go; 

I’ll bring back treasures, as you know.” 

Healthy Bunny and Pretty Bunny 
went with him, and my! what treasures 
they did find to bring back! 

They brought gay autumn leaves, and 
milk-weed pods, and wild grapes, and 
nuts, and they sang. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 113 


“Autumn time, autumn time, 

Merry hours in every clime. 

Autumn days, autumn days. 

See the bonfire’s purple haze.” 

All went merrily with the Bunnies un- 
til Pretty Bunny grew ill. She was 
sleepy all the time and nothing seemed 
to interest her. 

The sunshine said, “I will wake her.” 
The raindrops said, 

“I’ll tinkle, tinkle on the window pane; 
I will make Pretty Bunny laugh again.” 

Pretty Bunny did not laugh at the 
rain-drops. 

What next happened do you suppose? 
There crept on a vine a little late rose. 

It crept up, up, up, and peeped in at 
Pretty Bunny and inside the rose was 
curled up Little Tickle Toes, the merry 
Elf. 

He tickled her toes and tickled her nose. 
And made her happy, as you would sup- 
pose. 


114 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



Soon Pretty Bunny was well and 
helped Old Mother Bun protect her 
roses, and cover the fern bed and soon 
snow fell on Old Mother Bun’s garden, 
but the flowers in the Green House were 
blooming merrily, and many customers 
came to buy. 



MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 115 


“Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,” went the Green 
House Bell, 

How many times a day I cannot tell. 

Nearly every house in Bunnyville had 
a blooming plant in the window. 

Old Father Bun went off every even- 
ing into his little work-shop. He kept 
up a great singing and humming and all 
the Bunnies wondered what he was do- 
ing. He said to himself, 

“I have been working hours and hours 
To try to make some paper flowers.” 

He took a Tulip petal, and traced 
around it on card board and used this as 
a pattern. He cut many petals from red 
crepe paper for his Tulips. He placed 
wire between two paper .petals and 
glued them together, then he wired all 
the petals together and put a little yel- 
low round on the end of his stem, which 
he wrapped with green paper. 

While he was doing this. Old Mother 
Bun had some fun of her own. She cut 


116 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



out some birds and butterflies of paste- 
board and painted them gayly. She 
fastened them on twigs and set them 
around in the flower pots. 

When Old Father Bun came out with 
his paper Tulips everything looked very 
gay. 

Late that night, when the rest of the 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 117 


Bunnies were sleeping, Old Mother Bun 
looked out into her garden covered with 
snow. She sighed for her flowers but 
a fairy voice called, 

“Don’t let me ever find you weeping. 

For your flowers are only sleeping. 
Safe in Mother Nature’s keeping.” 

The Moon peeped out from a cloud and 
said, 

“On your garden I am streaming. 

Airy, fairy moonlight gleaming. 

While your little flowers are dreaming.” 

A little star twinkled and hummed, 

“I twinkle, twinkle in the blue. 

And a watch I keep for you. 

Because I love the flowers too.” 

The Sun-dial showed the days were 
getting shorter and shorter. 

It said, 

“After winter comes the spring; 

In every season let us sing, 

And just be glad of everything.” 

Pretty Bunny and Healthy Bunny 
dreamed that night that they were sail- 
ing away, away, in milk-weed cradles. 


CHAPTER X. 


A FLOWER PLAY FOR ANY DAY. 

Old Mother Bun went to her garden bed; 
“Pansies are really blooming,” she said. 
“Mid sun and shower, in half an hour. 
We’ll see many a dainty flower.” 

The winter had been hard and long. 

Old Mother Bun had patched and 
mended the Bunnies’ clothes, and Old 
Father Bun had mended and patched the 
furniture, and, except for visitors to the 
Green House, they had seen little of the 
outside world. 

One morning the Pansies lifted their 
heads and the Crocuses began to grow. 
Said old Mother Bun, “I sing and sing. 
For all these flowers are signs of spring.” 

Old Father Bun heard the Birds sing- 
ing and he said, 

“All the Birds are on the wing. 


118 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 119 



Their songs are truly signs of spring.” 

It was at this very minute that Healthy 
Bunny said, 


“Hear that noisy clitter-clatter, 

What, indeed, can be the matter?” 

The March Hare came bounding in the 
window. 

He upset the cups and saucers and 
spilled the cream from the pitcher. 

“I run here, and there, and everywhere; 
I am the jolly Mad March Hare.” 

He was so noisy it was some time be- 
fore Old Father Bun’s voice could be 
heard. He said by and by. 


120 MOTHEJR BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


“Can you suggest anything 
To help celebrate the spring?” 

The March Hare turned two somer- 
saults and said, 

“I may be here, I may be away. 

But why not give a Flower Play?” 

“Hurrah, hurrah,” cried Pretty Bunny. 

“Hurrah, hurrah,” cried Happy-Go- 
Lucky Bunny. 

Shadow Bunny said, “I hope you will 
give the Play on a sunny day, so I can 
be there.” 

The Friendly Tree Toad chirped, 

“You will have to buy costumes for your 
play; 

Really Bunnies, I see no other way.” 

The Bunnies sat down in a circle and 
put on their thinking caps, for they had 
no dimes or pennies with which to buy 
costumes for the Flower Play. 

Suddenly, without any warning what- 
ever, Old Father Bun began to laugh 
and Old Mother Bun began to laugh, and 
Healthy Bunny said. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 121 


“Old Mother Bun, you never told 
What you found in the pot of gold.” 

Old Mother Bun got the pot of gold 
she had found at the rainbow end, and 
took off the cover. Out rolled more gold 
pieces than you have ever dreamed of! 

She had forgotten all about the pot of 
gold. 

Now, they could buy costumes for the 
Flower Play. 

They began to think about the Play. 

The March Hare said he would be the 
Clown, and the Tree Toad said he would 
be ticket-seller. 

They built a real little stage in Old 
Mother Bun’s Garden, and they studied 
their parts until one bright May day 
when the sun shone warm and bright, 
the March Hare gave the prologue and 
tlm Play began on the day set for it: 

“We do not need to beg your pardon 
For giving a play in Mother Bun’s 
Garden; 

The sun is bright, the scenery right. 


122 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

And SO our neighbors we invite; 

The Flowers we introduce to you, 

In their costumes bright and new; 

We are a little nervous; this is the rea- 
son, 

Frost comes sometimes out of season; 
We’ve just begun to have much fun 
In the Garden of Old Mother Bun.” 

The Play then began. 

Pansies. “See, we are the Pansies with 
happy faces and kind thoughts. We do 
not fear Jack Frost. We do not fear a 
little snow. We will dance for you and 
sing for you.” 

1st Pansy. “Are any of our enemies 
about?” 

2nd Pansy. “Are there any insects and 
bugs to worry us?” 

3rd Pansy. “There is no sign of our 
enemy. Hail.” 

4th Pansy. “Oh, we must hide; here 
come real enemies, the Careless Chil- 
dren! Some of them will step on us, 
some of thern will pick us with such short 
stems we will be useless.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 123 



“We are Careless Children, oh me, oh my; 
To be careful we never try. 

We do not mind what any one’s said; 
Ha, ha, let’s go to the Pansy bed.” 

March Hare — 

“Ho, ho, ho, don’t you dare; 

I’m the bad little, sad little 
Mad March Hare!” 


124 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 


Careless Children — 

“We beg your pardon, we beg your 
pardon; 

We see we are in Mother Bun’s Garden!” 
Hollyhocks — 

“We love the Birds and love the Bees; 
We have few enemies, is you please.” 

Song, tune “Lightly Row.” 

Hollyhocks, hollyhocks, 

Growing by the garden walks. 
Hollyhocks, hollyhocks 
Hear their merry talks. 

Red and yellow, pink and white. 
Standing in the bright sunlight. 
Hollyhocks, hollyhocks. 

Growing by the walks. 

Insects (humming behind scenes) 

“We are insects, if you please. 

We destroy Flowers and Trees.” 

Tree Toad. 

“No, no, no, I beg your pardon; 

You’ll not destroy them in Mother Bun’s 
Garden. 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 125 


I am a Tree Toad, with work to do; 

I will call useful Sparrows too.” 

Sparrows — 

“We’ll drive the insects all away, 
Mother Bun, for you; 

We’ll drive the insects all away. 

And this is what we’ll do; 

We’ll sing and play as well we may. 
And enjoy our holiday.” 

(The Tree Toads give a little dance). 
Daisies (dancing in pairs). 

“We’re Daisies who dance. 

We lightly advance. 

And skip in two’s, if you please; 

We’re Daisies who dance, and lightly ad- 
vance. 

We love the Birds and Bees.” 

Hail. 

“I’m old King Hail, I seldom fail 
To give some one a fright; 

My hail stones come, a turn, ti, turn. 
At morning, noon, or night.” 

March Hare. 

“I’ll put you to rout, without a doubt; 
You’re just a rough old roustabout.” 


126 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 

(They have a battle and Hail goes out.) 

Little Elves rise from Tulips at the 
back of the stage singing to the tune of 
“Twinkle Little Star.” 

“Flowers are blooming everywhere, 
Sweet Bird songs are in the air, 

See their colors gay unfurled. 

Spring has come o’er all the world.” 

March Hare. 

“I cut up some capers, I do declare, 

I am the comical Mad March Hare, 

If you like our play, we say. 

Call on us another day.” 

The little Play was over and all the 
visitors went home. 

Old Father Bun said, 

“I’ll sit down now in my arm chair. 
And smoke away with never a care.” 

“Will you?” said the Scarecrow in the 
garden. 

“Will you?” eried the Sun Dial. 

Old Mother Bun said, 

“I’ll sit down and knit a heel or toe; 

I’ll sit down and knit an hour or so.” 


MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 127 


“Will you?” they all cried. 

Suddenly such a rapping and tapping 
was heard, such a stamping of feet that 
all the Bunnies went to the door to see 
what was the matter. 

There was a surprise party for Mother 
Bun! 

All the Bunnies came trooping in, and 
Old Father Bun did not have his quiet 
smoke, and Old Mother Bun did not 
knit her heel and toe, but they had a 
merry time, and the most delightful 
thing was still to happen! 

After they had brought in hampers of 
good things, a great wagon drove up, 
and in it was a wonderful garden seat. 

The Bunnies set up a shout. 

“Good bye, good bye, ’till next we meet; 
Old Mother Bun, here is a garden seat. 
We wish you many happy hours. 

In the Garden with your Flowers.” 

All the Bunnies went homeward. 


128 MOTHER BUNNY AND HER FLOWERS 



To be happy I always try.” 

She looked at Old Father Bun who took 
a puff at his pipe, saying, 

“Good night, but I give all fair warning, 
We’ll meet in the Garden to-morrow 
morning.” 

Mother Bun nodded her wise old head 
And dreamed of Elves in the Tulip Bed; 
She said, “The story is done, my dear. 
But ni plant a new garden every year.” 


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